Twyer.



PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

R. 'M. DOWNIE.

TWYER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3, 1904.

2 SHEBTSSHEET l.

No. 787,666. PATENTED APR. 18,1905.

' R. M. DOWNIE.

TWYER.

APPLIOiTION FILED AUG. 3, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented April 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT M. DOVVNIE, OF BEAVERFALLS, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO KEYSTONE DRILLER COMPANY, OF BEAVERFALLS, PENNSYLVANIA.

'TWYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,666, dated April 18, 1905.

7 Application filed August 3, 1904. Serial No. 219,405.

To all whom, it incl/y concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT M. DowNIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beaverfalls,in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Twyer, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that type of twyers wherein the passage of air is eifected by means of the injection of steam into the same. This has heretofore been proposed, but so far as I am aware has proven unsuccessful, as the vapor from the condensation of steam contained in the air that enters the fire serves to dampen and extinguish it rather than assist in the combustion, and heretofore this efiect was only avoided by superheating it and then employing the superheated steam in connection with a very hot fire or a superabundance of oxygen.

The present invention overcomes these objections, and thereby makes the use of steam practicable in ordinary twyers by eliminating the same and the moisture thereof prior to the passage of air into the fire. This, in short, is the object of the present invention, and in the accompanying drawings are illustrated several embodiments thereof, in which the said object is accomplished.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view therethrough. Fig. 3 isa top plan view of a portion of the same. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view therethrough. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the neck.- Fig. 6 is a plan view of the bottom plate. Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view through a slightly-modified form of construction. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the invention and of a form that is at present considered preferable. Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view through the same, and Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view of still another modification.

Similar reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawlngs.

In the embodiment illustrated in the first six figures a body 10 is employed that is substantially cylindrical in form and has outer and inner walls 12 and 13 concentrically disposed. A top forthe body consists of an inwardly and downwardly extending flange portion 14:, preferably integral with the walls 12 and 13 and having an inner annular seat 15. A cap-plate 16 fits in said seat and is provided with a series of air outlet openings 17. The lower edge of the outer wall 12 is preferably beveled inwardly and receives the edge of a bottom disk 18, similarly beveled and in the form of a cone. The cap-plate 16 and bottom disk 18 are secured in place by abolt 19, connecting the same andv passing centrally through the body.

It will be observed, particularly by reference to Fig. 4, that an annular passage-way 20 is thus formed between the walls 12 and 13, while a chamber 21 is formed within the wall 13. The ends of said wall 13 are spaced apart, and communication is thus secured between the passage-way 20 and the chamber 21. A neck 22, in the form of a tubular extension, is connected with the side of the body that is diametrically opposite the communication betweenthe passage-way 20 and chamber 21. This neck is provided with aseries of airinlet openings 23 in its side walls,.andits rear end is also open, as shown in Fig. 5, though said open end is bridged by a web 24., constitutingasupport forasteam-nozzle 25,thatprojects into the neck adjacent to the inlet-openings and has a controlling-valve 26. It will thus be seen that an indirect passage-way is provided between the air inlets and outlets, that the wall 13 stands directly across the path of movement of the steam injected from the nozzle, and consequently of the air entrained thereby, and that said mixture of air and steam will divide and pass through thepassage-way until it reaches the chamber 21, the air finally escaping through the outlet-openings 17. In order that the steam contained in the mixture may be thoroughly condensed and the vapor eliminated from the air, condensing means are preferably employed, shown in the present instance in the form of perforate baffle-walls 27, that extend across the passage-way, said walls comprising a serpentine perforate'plate completely surrounding the wall 13 and the chamber contained therein. For the purpose of venting the moisture that collects in the bot tom of the body the bottom plate is provided with an annular series of nozzles 28, which form moisture or liquid outlets when said bottom is in place, as will be apparent by reference to Fig. 2. It is thought that the operation of this embodiment of the invention will be readily understood. The steam admitted through the nozzle controlled by the valve 26 will be projected longitudinally through the neck, thereby entraining the air through the inlet-openings 23 and the open outer end. The mixture will be projected with great force against the perforate wall and the wall 13. The steam will immediately begin to condense because of the cool air and the walls against which the same impinges, and the moisture will thereupon trickle downwardly to the bottom and pass through the end openings 28. The stream of inrushing air will divide and pass in opposite directions about the wall 13, successively striking the inner and outer walls and the baffle-plate, so that by the time the air reaches the chamber 21 the steam and moisture will have been separated therefrom, and the air in a comparatively dry state will pass through the outlet-openings 17 to the fire. The comparatively cool air serves to maintain the various walls against which the mixture impinges in cooled condition, so that the steam will be condensed and the water therein gravitate to the bottom and to the outlets. Thus the object mentioned in the preliminary portion of the specification is accomplished.

In Fig. 7 a structure is shown very similar to that already described, the only difference residing in the arrangement of the baffle-walls. The usual body 11 is employed, having an outer and inner wall 12 and 13, forming a tortuous passage-way l4 and an interior chamber 15. The usual neck 16 communicates with the passage-way, said neck being constructed the same as already shown and described. The baflie-walls in this instance instead of being formed of a serpentine plate comprise radially-disposed separate plates 17, that are perforated to permit the passage of the air. It will be apparent that this structure operates in exactly the same way as that already described and has the same advantages.

In Figs. 8 and 9 another embodiment of the invention is illustrated and one that has a distinctly advantageous form of passage-way. In this embodiment a body 11 is employed, having an outer wall 12 and an inner convolute wall 13", forminga similarly-shaped pas sage 14 that leads to a chamber 15; A bottom 16 is provided with the usual outlet 17, While a top 18 includes a removable cap 19",

having air-outlet openings 20*, the cap and bottom being connected by the usual bolt 21". A tubular neck 22 communicates with the outer end of the convolute passage-way 14" and is provided at its free end with air-inlet openings 23", while a steam-nozzle 24: projects into the outer end of the neck and is controlled by a suitable valve 25". In this embodiment of the invention the air is entrained in the usual manner by the steam and impinges against the outer wall of the passageway throughout the length of the same, as will be apparent by reference to Fig. 9. In order, therefore, to obstruct the passage of the volume of air, and thereby secure the complete condensation of the steam and the elimination of vapor from the air, bafiie devices in the form of ribs 26 are disposed vertically on the outer wall within the passage-way and are preferably formed integral therewith.

Still another form of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 10. The convolute passageway is still employed, being formed between the outer and inner walls 11 and 12. The passage-way 13 terminates atits inner end in the chamber 14 and at its outer end in the usual neck 15. Instead of the bafiie-ribs transversely-disposed perforate plates 16 are employed that are radially disposed. In this connection it maybe stated that the structure of the condensing means or baflle devices is not important, as anything may be employed for this purpose that may prove desirable and eflicient, those shown being merely samples or structures that can, perhaps, be advantageously used. In fact, the twyers may be made large enough so that the'wall-surface of the passage-ways will be sufficient to effect a thorough elimination of the vapor without the use of baflie plates or devices, said bafiie plates or devices being preferably employed, however, in order that the twyers may be made of substantially the ordinary size.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is*

1. Atwyer having an air-inlet, an air-outlet and an open water-outlet, means for introducing steam into the twyer and entraining air thereby through the inlet, and means located in the twyer and the path of movement of the steam for condensing and collecting the mois ture thereof and directing the same to the outlet.

2. Atwyer having an air-inlet, an air-outlet and an open water-outlet, means for introducing steam into the twyer and entraining air thereby through the inlet, and baffle devices located in the twyer and the path of movement of mixed steam and air for condensing the steam and collecting the vapor thereof,

the moisture so condensed escaping freely let and projecting the same against certainof the walls for condensing the steam, said twyer having an open water-outlet in its lower portion that permits the free escape of the water collected on the walls of the tortuous passage-way.

5. In a twyer, the combination with a body having an air-inlet, an air-outlet, and an indirect passage-way connecting the same, of means for directing steam into said passageway and thereby entraining air through the inlet, said body having a water-outlet communicating with the passage-way, and means for directing the water condensed in said passage-way to the outlet.

6. Atwyer having an air-inlet, separate and freely-open air and water-outlets, and atortuous passage-way connecting the same, means for introducing steam into the twyer, entraining air thereby through the inlet and projecting the same against certain of the walls for condensing the steam and collecting the vapor thereof, means for directing condensed water to the water-outlet, and bafiile devices located in the passage-way and engaging the wall against which the mixture is projected.

7. In a twyer, the combination with a body having an air-inlet, an air-outlet, and an indirect passage-way connecting the same, of means for directing steam into said passageway and thereby entraining air through the inlet, the bottom of said passage-way being provided with afreely-open water-outlet and inclining downwardly toward the same to permit the escape of the water condensed on the walls of said passage-way.

8. In a twyer, the combination with a body having an air-inlet. an air-outlet, and an indirect passage-way connecting the same, of means for directing steam into said passageway and thereby entraining air through the inlet, the bottom of said passage-Way being provided on its outer edge with a plurality of water-outlet openings, and said bottom inclining downwardly toward said edge.

9; A twyer having an air-inlet, an air-outlet,

an indirect passage-way connecting the same, and an open water outlet communicating with the lower portion of the passage-way, perforate baffle-walls extending across the passage-way, and a steam-nozzle projecting into the twyer contiguous to the air-inlet.

10. A twyer having an air-inlet, an air-outlet and convolute passage-way connecting the inlet and outlet, and means for eliminating the steam and vapor from the air during its passage through the passage-way, said twyer having a water-outlet communicating with the convolute passage-way to permit the escape of the condensed vapor therefrom.

11. In a twyer, the combination with a body having an air-inlet, an air-outlet and an open liquid-outlet, of means for injecting steam under pressure into the body to entrain the air through the inlet, and means for condensing the steam in the twyer and permitting the free escape of the liquid therefrom through the outlet.

12. In a twyer, the combination with a body having an air-inlet, an air-outlet at its top and a freely-open liquid-outlet at its bottom, of means for injecting steam to entrain the air through the inlet, and means for condensing.

the steamwithin the body prior to the escape of the air through the outlet, the moisture freely passing through the liquid-outlet.

13. A twyer having an air-inlet, an air-out let, a convolute passage-way connecting the air-inlet and air-outlet, and a liquid-outlet communicating with the convolute passageway, and a nozzle for introducing steam into the twyer and thereby entraining air through the inlet, the water of condensation from such steam escaping through said liquid-outlet.

14. A twyer having an air-inlet, an air-outlet, an indirect passage connecting the same and a liquid-outlet communicating with the lower portion of the indirect passage-way, a nozzle for injecting steaminto the twyer, and condensing means located in the passage-way, the water of condensation from such steam in said passage escaping through the liquidoutlet.

15. In a twyer, the combination with a body having an air-inlet, an inner chamber provided outlet communicating with the lower portion of the convolute passage-way, of means for introducing steam into said passage-way and thereby entraining air thereinto, the water of condensation from such steam escaping through the'liquid-outlet.

17. In a twyer, a body comprising inner and outer side walls defining an inner chamber and an indirect passage-way leading thereto, said passage-way having an air-inlet communicating therewith, a cap having air-outlets, a bottom plate, and a device extending through the inner chamber of the body and connecting the cap and bottom plate to secure the same in place.

18. A twyer, comprising inner and outer side walls defining an open-ended inner chamber and an indirect passage-way leading thereto, said passage-way having an air-inlet communicating therewith, a perforate cap covering the upper end of the chamber, and a bottom plate closing the bottom of the body and having a series of openings communicating with the indirect passage-way.

19. In a twyer, a body comprising an outer wall and a convolute inner wall, said walls defining an inner chamber and a convolute passage-way leading thereto, a perforate cap covering the top of the chamber, a bottom plate covering the bottom of the body and having openings communicating with the convolute chamber, and means for injecting steam into the convolute passage-way and thereby entraining air thereinto.

20. In atwyer, the combination withabody comprising spaced inner and outer wallsforming a tortuous passage-way, a cap located on the top of the body, a bottom covering the lower portion of the body, a connection between the cap and bottom for securing the same in place, said top having a plurality of 

